Device for transmitting intelligence



Jyly 29, 1930. i w. H. coNKLlN 1,771,953

DEVICE FOR TRANSMITTING INTELLIGENCE .uly 29, 1930. f w. H. coNKLlN 1,771,953

DEVICE FOR TRANSMITTING INTELLIGENCE Filed Aug. 17, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 52 A B -JJ E F G I J K L 4/ N P a R s T u w Y z 5 3 3-3 s, 3 3,64 4 4 4,54%, 5 5 5 5,6 6

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Patented .luly-29, 1930 laa'rrza'l OFFICE vWILLIAM n. comm, or ANsoNLa, 'coNNEc'rrcU'r -nEvrcE Een 'rnANsilr'rrrmG INTELLIGENCE Application-med August 17,' 1929. Serial No. 388,599;

This invention relates to a device for transmitting intelligence, such for example as transmitting` messa es between ships, or it may be used by the eaf and dumb in conversation, and has for' an object to provide a device for this purpose whlch is simple inconstruction, may. be easily o erated and as easily read ata distance, and 1s easily portable.

It is also an object of the invention to pro- 10 vide a device of this character in 'which any message desired may-lne easily and quickly' transmitted. y

Witl the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction,A combinations 'and arrangements of elements as will be more fully disclosed in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is al partial side elevation and a partial longitudinal section through a device embodying my invention.

Fig.I 2 is a front elevationthereof. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical view giving samples of the diierent signals that may be transmitted.

` Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram of the device.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectlon showing, one construction by which the lamps may e mountlif ed Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing how the system may be extended to increase the number of two-light combinations that may be formed.

whic may be used with this device.

Figs. 8 and 9 show how the device may be employed at an aviation field for transmitting any message desired from the ground to the occupants of an air plane or from the `plane to the person on the ground.

The device illustrated comprises a box 10 Ahaving a front wall 11 and a removable back wall 12 to permit access to the interior of the box. If the device is to be used onships, this ,box should be water tight to 'keep moisture ,out ofthe various electrical connections. The front wall 11 is provided with openings 13 behind which are mounted electric lamps 14,

"5 these lamps being arranged with respect t0 guished. For example, it has been found F1 7 shows an example`of an alphabet each other as indicated in Fig. 2. For' ordinary use six lamps are'suicient, arranged in three-pairs with the lam s also 1'n two parallel rows as indicated, an the openings 1n the front plate 11 preferably hold colored lenses 55 or bulls'eyes 15. l Between the central pair of lamps and 43 there is a guide lamp havmg a lens. 16 of different c olor from the lenses 15, the plate 11 having an opening for this lens with a lam behind it the same as behind y the lenses 15. he colors of the lenses are immaterialV so long as the lens 16 is diierent from the lenses 15 so that they can be distinvery satisfactory to. make the guide light or lens 164 green and the lenses 15 red.

As a convenient manner of mounting, a. metal anel 17 may b e mounted in the box back o the front wall 11, and this panel may have threaded openings to receive the threaded necks 18 of sheet. metal curved reflectors 19, forming a socket to receive these lamps 20 having thel usual screw shell contacts 21 to thread into the socket. It will of course, be understood that any other sultable t pe of socket may be used if desired. The re ectors 19 embrace the lenses 15 and 16 at their forward endsso that the light from any individual lamp is transmitted through one lens only. The central lamp contact 22 may engage a spring contact 23 carried by an insulated plate 24 or plate of insulating material mounted on the back of the panel 17 by any suitable means such as the studsl 25. A binding post screw 26 may be used to secure contact 23 to the insulating plate 24 and also form a connection by means of which a lead 27 from a control switch ma be connected. Also mounted in the box may a battery 28, one pole of which may be connected bly; a lead 29 to the panel 17. As the lamp soc ets are grounded on this panel, one contact of each amp is thus electricallyconnected with one terminal of the battery. The other terminal of the battery leads through a ilexible cable 30 to a plurality of control switches which are preferably mounted in a portable box or other suitable support 31. These switches are indicated bypushbuttons32,` 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37, there vbeing one switch for each of the I lights`14 behind the bulls eyes 15. For convenience in operating these switches they are arranged in the same relative positions to each other as are the flash lamps which they control, there being a lead from each switch through .the cable to its corresponding lamp. Thus there is a lead 38 from the switch to the upper right hand lamp indicated at 42, Fi 2. The lamps 39 to 44 are each connecte by a similar 4lead to their, respective control switches 32 to 37. Thus by pushing any of the buttons, 32 to 37 any single lamp 39 to 44 or any combination thereof with one or more of the other lamps may be ashed. When the device is used at night the guide lamp 16 is lighted continuously and it is therefore controlled by a snap switc so that it is not flashed but lighted continuously.

Altho in the drawing, the lamps themselves are flashed by the switches, lit will, of course,

. be understood that shutters in front or behind the lenses 15 may be operated instead. As the switches 32 to 37 are arranged in the same order and relative arran ement as are Hash lights 39 to 44, respective y, it is a very simple matter for the operator to operate the buttons and switches to flash any individual lamp desired, or any combination of this lamp with any ofthe other lamps. A few of the signals and combinations which may be transmitted areillustrated in Fig. 3, that is, the first one represents the lamp 42, or the upper right hand lamplighted in connection with the uide lamp 16.. The second one represents this lamp 42 and the left hand lamp 40 of the middle pair lighted in connec.

tion with the guide lamp. Other combinations are shown in the remainder of Fig. 3 and the rest will be readily apparent. It will be obvious that these Iarrangements and combinations canbe easily read and distinuished at any distance at which the panel 1s visible. It may of course be used either in the upright position shown or may be used in the horizontal position and be as easily read. Each lamp'39 to 44 when flashed either alone or in combination with the other lamps may be used to transmita certain letter or a certain word value according to a rule. If the device is used in daylight or bypeople close togetheras where two deaf and dumb people use it for conversing, the use of the guide lamp 16 will be unnecessary as the arrangement of the lamps 39 to 44 is easily discernible. At night, however, the guide lamp 16 clearly distinguishes between the lamps 39 to 44 by their relative arrangement with respect to the guide lamp.

The six lamps shown provide a suiicient 'number of diierent signals for transmittin any message desired. If, however, it is foun desirable to be able to transmit a larger number of different combinations involving the use of two flash lights only, this could be done by adding additional pairs of lights and additional guideV li hts between the intermediate pairs as in icated in Fi G. Thus there could be an additional pair of lights 46 and 47 with an additional guide light 48 between the pair of lights 39 and 42.' This i arrangement is, however, not' necessary and the six signal lamps and the one uide lamp give a sufficient number of d1 erent sig- -nals to transmit any message desired, as of course, combinations using more than two flash lights can be used. Fig. 6, however, is shown merely to indicate how the system may be extended to increase the number of signalsA may be transmitted just as rapidly as the operator ,can manipulate the buttons or switches 32 to 37 to'flash the various lamps or combinations thereof as desired to trasnmit the desired message.

In Fig. 7' I have illustrated b way of example an alphabet which may e used with this device for transmitting any message desired. This is merely anv example as, of

course, various signals may be used for dif-4 ferent letters as desired, but the alphabet illustrated isvery simple and easily learned. The line 52 'indicates the letters corresponding to the signals under each letter. The red lights 39 to 44 are indicated by the circles while the-green pilot light 16 is indicated by lUU the. diamond shaped ligure, it being necessar only that this light be different so as to e distinguishable from the other lights. In learning the alphabet, the light 39 is considered as No. 1, light 40 as No. 2, light 41 as No. 3, light 42 as No. 4, light 43 as No. 5 and light 44 as No. 6. These'correspond with the numbers in the lines indicated at 51. It will be seen that in making up this particular alphabet thelights are taken in regular order making it much easier to mmorize. The curbed line 53 in certain signals means the particular signal is flashed twice in quick succession for that letter.

In Figs..8 and 9 is illustrated one of the many uses of this device. Thus, the lights 39 to 44 withthe pilot light` 16 may be mounted on a tower 49 or any other similar support, or even placed on the ground, and any` message desired may be transmitted easily and rapidly to the occupants of a plane 50. Thus, for instance, should one of the landing wheels be lost olf the plane this fact can be easily and quickly transmitted to the pilot and he can control his plane accordingly when landing. Similarly ythe lights can be installedon the plane as illustrated in Fig.

9 and used by any one in the plane for sendin messages to the round or another ship.

aving thus descrl ed my invention, what is claimed is:

l. ln a communicating device, three pairs of lights arranged in two 'arallel rows, a guide light of a different co or arranged between the central pair of lights, and control means for said li hts inoludln an individual manually operab e control switch for each of the first mentioned lights, said control switches being arranged in the same relative positions to each other as are the corresponding lights.

2. ln a communication device, three pairs of lights arranged in two parallel rows, and control means for said lights including an individual manually operable control switch for each of the first mentioned lights, said control switches being arranged in the same relative positions to each other as are the corresponding lights.

3. lln a communicating device, three pairs of similar lights arran ed in two parallelv rows, a guide light of a ifferent appearance from the other lights arranged between the central pair of lights, and control means for said iirst mentioned lights including an individual manually operable control switch for each of these lights, said control switches being arranged in the same relative positions to each other as are the corresponding lights.

ln testimony whereof ll a m signature.

LIAM H. C NKLN. 

